Zimbabwe’s President has made an all out attack on the British Prime Minister and accused him of stifling talks between the nations.In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Robert Mugabe scoffed at suggestions the troubled southern African nation was in the midst of mass starvation.

And he said his supporters who attack opposition members were no worse than Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister for punching a protester.

Speaking during his first interview with a British broadcaster in four years, the 80-year-old attacked Tony Blair for treating Zimbabwe as though it were still a colony.

Mugabe is as vehemently abhorred around the world as head of a murderous regime as he is respected by some African nations for standing up to the west, particularly Britain.

The President told Sky News Africa Correspondent Stuart Ramsay he wanted to open talks with Britain but that overtures had been snubbed by Mr Blair’s government.

He said: “We have asked for discussions, for dialogue. He won’t have it. We are inferior, he is a superhuman and he won’t be drawn into any discussions with us.

“If Britain wants to talk we are ready, we have said so again and again.”

His defiant picture of a Zimbabwe run for the majority and free from the hardships said to be blighting the nation is in stark contrast to the scene described by international observers.

He rebuffed criticism of the violence meted put to political opponents by supporters of the ruling Zanu (PF) party.

The President said it was no worse than when, during the 2001 General Election campaign, John Prescott punched a protester who had thrown an egg at him.

Looking relaxed, he said: “The Deputy Prime Minister beats a person, boxes a person and that person falls down.

“That is more acceptable than the violence of a small group that might just be mistaken in its own belief that violence will work?”

The Mugabe regime has seen white farmers murdered by black, ex-soldiers encouraged by political leaders to grab back land using force.

It has been typified by fiery Mugabe speeches either dismissing the country’s crippling debts and spiralling inflation – currently 600% – or blame it on the legacy of colonial rule.

Continuing his attack on Mr Blair, he said the Prime Minister had made peace with Libya “not just to get Libyan oil but to get Libya to desist from assisting us”.

He rounded off with a promise to stay in power “as long as the people want me to stay” but doubted that he would stand for re-election.